Game On, Juggie
by klainecrisscolferforever
Summary: Betty knew that things were going to get worse before they got better, so before falling asleep from trying to figure out the cipher all night in 2x4, Betty and Jughead made a promise to each other and no sooner does this promise get put to the test with the black hood still lurking in the shadows of Riverdale.
1. Chapter 1

This is probably terrible, but it is my first Riverdale/ Bughead fic, so be nice to me please xoxox

Chapter 1 No One's POV

 _Flashback_

 _"_ _Betts, it's getting late. Maybe we should take a break, we've been at this for hours."_

 _"_ _I can't stop now Juggie, I know that I've seen these symbols and codes before, I just know it." Jughead sighs deeply, shaking his head at his overly stressed out girlfriend._

 _"_ _Betty. You're doing it again."_

 _"_ _Doing what?" she questions without looking up from her pen and paper._

 _"_ _Obsessing." She finally looks up and takes in the sight of her boyfriend. "You always do this when you are trying to distract yourself from something bigger that's plaguing your mind. What's really going on with you Betty?"_

 _"_ _I just don't want anyone else to get hurt," she whispers dejectedly._

 _"_ _This I already know. What else is making you so edgy, so distant, and so stressed?" She almost did. She almost told him about the letter that accompanied the cypher when she opened the package with her name on it. She almost spilled it all, but she didn't want to risk it. She didn't want to risk his safety by being dragged into this unknown world of violence, hatred, and cold darkness that is currently looming over Riverdale, even more than murder and apparent suicide of the Blossom men. So, instead she told another truth that was buried deep within her heart and soul._

 _"_ _I love you so much Jughead," she softly speaks, but with conviction._

 _"_ _I know you do. I love you too," he smiles at his favorite blond._

 _"_ _I don't know what any of this mean, the murders, the threats, and the black hood sending me this cypher, but that is one thing I am sure of. I love you more than words can say, and you are one of best things to ever happen to me. But Juggie, you have to promise me that if things get worse, and I believe they will at some point, that you will stay safe. I can't lose you to a maniac with a gun and an agenda. Why he contacted me? I don't really know, but if things were to ever escalate, I want you to stay away."_

 _"_ _No, Betts-"_

 _"_ _No, listen Jug. I need you alive, I need you safe Jughead because if anything ever happened to you because of me-"_

 _"_ _No, you listen Elizabeth Cooper. I am not going anywhere without you there with me. You are everything to me and one of the only things keeping me from falling apart. Whatever happens, we are in this together and nothing will ever change that. Was there something else the black hood said to make you think that I would get hurt? Did he threaten you or me?"_

 _"_ _No, n-n-nothing like that," she stammers. He believed her, but he knew she was hiding something._

 _"_ _Maybe we should just run away. Get away from Riverdale, the Serpents, this maniac and just go far away. Like you said, we will not let Riverdale and its looming dark forces tear us apart. You want me safe? Well, I want you safe and away from all of this bullshit. You deserve better than all of this fear and stress Betts." He's pacing by that point, trying to figure out just what it will take for all of this to end. All the lies and secrets are tearing them all apart, not just him and Betty, but Archie, Veronica, Kevin, they're all going through hell because of someone's idea of a sick joke. Playing with people's lives is so much more than a drug cartel scandal. Finally, halting his movements, he catches the dejected look on his girlfriend's face, the pain in her eyes, and the start of tears that she is trying her best to hold at bay. He slowly walks over to her and takes her hand, lifting her off the floor. It's well past midnight and they have been racking their brains endlessly for most of the day. They lay down and cuddle on the couch, he's holding her close as she relaxes in his warm, yet firm embrace._

 _"_ _We will get through this. We are so much stronger than everything that is happening around us, especially you."_

 _"_ _Do you promise? You promise that we will be okay?"_

 _"_ _If and only if we stop lying to each other. We have got to learn to communicate better. Starting with the fact that I sit with Serpents at lunch because I was jumped by the Ghoulies. I was at Southside High late, and they came out of the woodworks and jumped me. I lied because I didn't want you to worry so much. Lately, they've been saying these things about me joining and how I can't be half-Serpent and half-Northside. They want me to cut ties with the Northside once and for all, which is something I will never do. It's been a rocky transition to say the least."_

 _"_ _I told you I support you and I do. Maybe you should join the Serpents. I mean, there is safety in numbers and I know that despite some misgivings, that they protect their own."_

 _"_ _What? I'm not saying goodbye to you Betts, for any reason."_

 _"_ _And you don't have to. I'm okay with this because I know that you love me, and I love you. If this can at least keep you safe, I am all for it. Besides, it could be interesting to be the girlfriend of a hot badboy type," she winks._

 _"_ _What about the black hood? What if he tries to contact you again? I don't know if I can handle that without wanting to kill him. You sure he didn't send anything else besides the cypher?" She hesitates, not for the first time tonight, and he notices._

 _"_ _I'm sure and if anything happens, I'll handle it. It's not like he's going to make us break up or something, or come after our friends. Our love and the friendships we have aren't sins, seeing how he goes for things representing "uncleanliness." I just hope he is caught soon, before someone else is targeted._

 _"_ _Well, if anything of that nature is thrust upon us, WE will handle it together, no questions asked. Now get some sleep Cooper, tomorrow's a new day."_

 _"_ _Promise?"_

 _"_ _I promise," he answered knowing that those words held more meaning than either of them cared to voice aloud._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Jughead's POV

In her haste to leave, Betty left some things behind, including a folded piece of paper. Reading the letter for like the tenth time, I am sitting in awe of how someone could place this much pressure on a teenager. I also think about why Betty never mentioned this letter to me. So many emotions are coursing through my body at this point from pain, to hurt, to rage. I would do anything to protect the ones I love, but being a teen myself, I have no way of knowing how to handle this. One thing I do know is, I needed to pay my girlfriend a visit and I needed to do that right now. Grabbing my things, I hop on my bike, and cross the invisible barrier into the Northside of Riverdale. Within moments I am at Riverdale High, with the designation of the _Blue & Gold_ firmly on my mind. After arguing back and forth on why she would keep this for me, she finally caves, revealing her worry of Archie blaming her for the shooting of Fred. I don't think I've ever been this pissed off at even the thought of Archie possibly blaming Betty for all that is happening to this godforsaken town. After reassuring her, a light bulb went off, and soon we were off to the next adventure at the library. After the chaos at the town hall meeting and getting everyone out of there, we went back to the trailer park for a talk I knew that bound to take place.

"I want to know if/ when he contacts you again Betts," I tell her as she leans further into my embrace on the sofa.

"I'm so scared Juggie. What if you get hurt? What if someone else that I love and care about get hurt?"

"We will deal with it as it comes. Right now, we just have to wait it out until he strikes again, makes his presence known."

"Juggie, if he contacts me again, and says something pertaining to harming you in any way, I don't know what I'll do."

"If he even contacts you, I don't know what I'll do. I don't want this crazy person anywhere near you. However, I have a feeling that we won't be able to get rid of him so easily. For whatever reason, he's drawn to you and your protection of this town. I have no idea what he wants, but we need to find a way to get ahead of his schemes and threats and not fall behind."

"We need some type of code, or phrase, just in case something happens where we can't be together at the moment. What if we put a pause on us for a while?"

"What? Betty no-"

"No, listen Juggie. Obviously, this lunatic is trying to impress me or whatever the hell his agenda is, so what if when he actually contacts me, that I give him my full attention as a distraction, to both stop anyone else from getting hurt and giving us time to find out who this guy is."

"That's not a bad idea, but it is a dangerous one Betty! You anger him in anyway, it can lead to another death or shooting. Plus, I would never leave you alone to be vulnerable around this creep."

"Jughead, I won't be alone. I know how to find you and if anything happens beyond my control, I can always go to Archie. I love you, more than anything, but I have to put a stop to this once and for all. I'm so over being afraid of someone who is too much of a coward to even show his face. If he thinks you're out of the picture or tries to force you out, it will be on our terms and manipulations, not his. He doesn't get to dictate who I love and who I want in my life. Having this up on him, can guarantee me that I'll always have you and that we are one step closer to identifying the black hood. I just need you to lay low, maybe get closer to Toni, in order to create some type of rumor mill for him, so that he thinks there is trouble in paradise."

"But I don't even like Toni like that and besides, you are the love of my life, nothing is going to change that. Right?"

"You're mine, that's not changing, and besides Toni may like you a little, but I've seen her checking me out more than you lately, so no real worry there."

"What?"

"Oh, come on Jug, you have to know that Toni's gay or at least bi. Her crush on you is purely convenience and not to mention, you've known her just as long as you've known me, since we were kids. You're practically best friends, and best friends are the prefect safety nets for your heart when you have a shitty life or don't feel good enough. She's drawn to your protective and caring nature. Not to mention that my boyfriend is incredibly hot." I can't help but blush at the compliment. I take a good look at one of my best friends, who I still can't believe loves me back, and I know that everything she's saying, all of the clocks whirling in her head, fueling her ideas, I will go along with it, for her.

"Wow, okay so what did you have in mind?"

"Well, we remain us for the time being, but you also have to start hanging out with Toni more in and outside of school. I know you sit with the Serpents, and I know you're thinking of joining, which means that even though I support you, that can be the thing that causes a rift for us. That's where Toni comes in. She understands you and the way of the Serpents, so she's like your guiding hand of the Southside. The more time you spend with her and the less time you spend with me, the black hood can't help but think that there's trouble in paradise, even when there's not. That way if he tries to force you out in anyway, again it will be on my terms, which would be a temporary break up. This is where your acting skills come into play, you have to actually feel and look like we broke up so that no one else can figure us out. I have to play the part as well, with actually imagining us really breaking up. If all things go well, we will find a way to communicate and hopefully bring the black hood down once and for all."

"Okay, I think I understand, but what if he doesn't believe us? What if he doesn't believe that we broke up? How do we convince him?"

"Honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead yet, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, we just need to convince him that we are at least having trouble with you moving to the Southside and me being on the Northside. If we can convenience him of that, we have the upper hand and we can trick him into trusting us, well at least me. As long as he trusts someone on the inside of it all, he will maybe slip up and give off hints of who he is and what he really wants."

"Betty? Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll be safe. I'm not agreeing to anything unless I know that you won't go off looking for trouble like Nancy Drew. We have to be rational about all of this and we have to stick together. I can't have you hurt and I know you feel the same about me. Once we do this, we have to see it through to ensure not only our safety, but also the safety of our friends and families. So, promise me Betty. Promise me that you won't go looking for him alone, you won't walk anywhere alone, and promise me that at the first sight of trouble, you find a way to contact me or at the very least Archie." I look deeply into her beautiful emerald eyes, becoming mesmerized while also waiting for her promise. Her eyes, her eyes that I can't wait to see when I wake, and can't wait to dream about when I sleep. Her eyes that tells no lies when she whispers the words I love you or I care. Her eyes that hold my heart and soul in their clutches.

"I promise Juggie. I promise that I will be safe." For the first time, since walking through the trailer's door, I lean over and kiss my girlfriend. I kiss her in a way that feels as if this will be our last real kiss for a while. After our impromptu make out session, I walk her home just before curfew. Stopping in front of the Cooper residence, she hugs me tight in a tired goodbye, which can be understood. Today was quite the eventful day.

"I'll talk to you soon?"

"Of course," I say hugging just a little tighter and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"I love you Jughead Jones."

"I love you Betty Cooper." We say our goodbyes and I watch her walk away, little did I know, I watched her walk into a world of manipulation and fear.

***Days Later***

Betty texts me to meet her at Pops, after not speaking for the last few days…

 _Game on, Juggie._


End file.
